Winterborn Part 2
by Alustriel Silverhand
Summary: Vampires. Humans. Hunters. Hunted. Halfbrothers and Dhampires. When D crosses paths with Alucard, he is charged with the task of creating a treaty between the warring races, one that is as difficult as uniting his two halves...


**Scene 8**

They rode hard across the plains, their horses hooves kicking up mounds of snow. For one such as D the sleet caused little trouble, especially because he didn't feel cold unless it was super-natural, and this was not. His dark eyes took a side-long glance at this companions, wondering not for the first time, and not for the last, why he was even doing this.

Alucard, golden tresses like molten gold, rode his perfectly white steed, his eyes straight ahead. Astride her palomino Caitlyn occasionally observed him, a smile hinting at her lips. Lastly, and somewhat behind them, was Amelia her painted horse galloping as fast as it could to keep up with the paranormal speed of the others.

D's mind was drawn back to the reason they were here, cantering (and galloping) across the plains.

_When D finally caught up to Amelia she was at Valin's bedside, holding his hand. In the room stood Alucard, fear creasing his fine face. Caitlyn stepped within, calm as always. The dhampire wondered if somehow she already knew who'd been attacked._

_Facing his brother, Alucard muttered, "He was struck near the heart with an arrow laced with some liquid. Amelia recognizes the chemicals as a banned substance that was used by vampire hunters to kill their prey."_

_D kept his left fist shut and said, deadpanned, "Banned?"_

_"Since the agreement of cessation of hostilities between the two races," Caitlyn explained._

_There was no response. _

_"I know where we can find an antidote," Amelia said, standing up. "It's in the laboratory that was boarded up a few years ago. The chemical was created there and at the same time, the antidote, too."_

_A hand shot up, gripping hers' painfully. "You will not leave me, Amelia!"_

_Though D thought to intervene his brother was faster. A blade flashed out and up to the hand that held Amelia's. "She is trying to help you. We do not know the way, so she will need to accompany us." Like the slit of a blade, Alucard's eyes narrowed. "Release her hand or I shall cut yours off."_

_Valin's hand went limp and his eyes shut again._

_Amelia rubbed her wrist with a hand. "He's delirious." She smiled weakly at Alucard. "Thank you."_

_With a resigned nod, his brother said, "I will bring you to the laboratory. If word got out that humans were hunting vampires again, especially if Valin died because of it, all hopes of a treaty would be lost."_

_"You'll need help," the crimson-haired vampire added. "And Valin is a friend so I'll come with you. The plains before the underground laboratory are very dangerous so you'll need all the manpower you can get." One eye trailed up and down Amelia but the young woman weathered it. It was quite obvious to D that Caitlyn considered the girl a liablity, but considering her knowledge, couldn't argue against her joining them._

_"D?" It was Alucard's cultured voice, pleading._

_Though the dhampire hunter cared none, in fact less than none, for Valin and he'd really had little intention on running around on some errand to salvage him, the thought of the laboratory piqued his interest. Particularly about the banned chemical. If he could procure some when the vampire hunter returned to his own world, it would be a very beneficial weapon against the Nobility._

_"We leave in an hour," was all D said before exiting the chamber. _

And so they had, making good time across the plains. D had agreed to join the sad little council, but in truth, the dhampire planned to make his exit as soon as he could find it. But until he could find his way back to his own realm, he needed allies to draw information and secure protection from. D was a walking one man army, but the vampire hunter had no illusions that there wasn't something somewhere that could fell him.

"Yeah, because that's the reason you're all buddy-buddy with your brother, eh?" How Leftie managed to mutter that wrapped around the reigns, D did not know. "

That's why you were helping out your sister-in-law, more than once mind you, and even taking a little tour of the gardens with the pretty little girl. Uh-huh!"

With the wind blowing viciously, it hid their voices. "Your point?" D said.

"My point is that this is unlike you, D. You're starting to care. You're starting to get emotionally involved." Was that a hint of worry in the symbiot's eternally caustic tone? "And...well, I don't care if you get yourself killed, but I don't want you taking me down with you!"

"They're a means to end." With that, the dhampire tightly wound his fist around the reigns so much that even Leftie couldn't utter a word.

Suddenly Alucard halted his horse so swiftly that she reared. His black cloak lifted up and drifted down dramatically. "I hear something."

D brought his own steed to a halt with both Caitlyn and Amelia following suit soon after.

"Werewolves," said Caitlyn, drawing a spear.

Paling Amelia armed herself with a bow and arrows while the half-blood brothers had swords in hand in seconds. Alucard instructed them to tighten the space between the horses so none of them were surrounded and overwhelmed. With a hand on her shoulder, the dhampire uttered some words of encouragement to Amelia. She was no warrior, but there was no choice.

They were there. Many times before had D seen werewolves but there was something peculiar about these. They were larger, more vicious and less coordinated than the ones he'd battled in the past. Their eyes glowed a sickly green and from their mouths protruded fangs that looked almost painful to bear.

Alucard's suggestion to watch out for a balanced directed attack was unnecessary--they attacked without any sort of logic at all. As soon as one came in striking distance D slashed it in two. Blood misted in the air. Another sought to harass his horse's flanks and it died when the blade cut straight into its heart. More blood wafted in the snow-littered air.

"D...they smell funny. The blood is...I dunno, there's something up with it."

The dhampire ignored his symbiot, his blade not lowering in the least as he cut werewolf after werewolf into ribbons. Around him, Amelia put arrows between the eyes of a werewolf while Caitlyn skewered two of the monsters on her spear and Alucard was a sheer pleasure to watch as he sliced and diced the beasts into gruesome bits.

After killing another werewolf Alucard drew his steed back, coughing hard. "Something's amiss. Amelia?"

Pale-faced the girl called out, "I think the blood is poison to vampires!" Her gaze shifted to D who he himself was covering his mouth with a scarf. Caitlyn also seemed affected, gagging a bit.

When the last of the monsters expired, D said coldly. "Get back."

The three pulled their mounts away. Once he thought them far away enough, the dhampire sheathed his sword and lifted his left hand. Grateful to be able to get out for the first time in hours, Leftie appeared on his hand. Amelia gasped while Alucard looked puzzled. Caitlyn chuckled. D didn't care what they thought of the countenanced carbuncle, but the symbiot had a job to do.

"I need your help to swallow this poison."

A snort. "Slave-driver as always." Then the mouth opened vacuuming in the venomous vapors inside. In less than a minute the bloody mist disappeared, swallowed and digested by the symbiot.

"Mmmmm. I've tasted that before. Can't remember where." Before the others could see the symbiot D clamped his fist shut and sent his horse hurrying down the plains again. The others quickly sent their own steeds into a canter after him. For hours they travelled undisturbed until night fell upon them. D would have gone on but his brother half-vampire pulled up his steed.

"D, the girl must rest." Alucard's voice brokered no argument.

The dhampire glanced at Amelia. She held her own, but clearly the murk of exhaustion and cold could be observed on her face. D nodded. His gloved finger lifted to point out a copse of trees to the south about a hundred yards. "We shall spend the night there."

When the four reached the trees they selected a suitable spot and set up a campfire. Caitlyn disappeared at one point, but the vampire hunter didn't bother to chase after her. He went to work sliding out a tube from his horse's saddle. With a flick of his finger and the device activated, popping out to become a small tent. Inside was a tiny thermal generator. Though the dhampire needed no heat, the tent was already equipped with the generator. After he finished, the dhamprie stepped over the campfire to gaze into it, his thoughts drifting far away.

Amelia sat next to him. "Thank you for coming."

No answer. D might as well have been one of the logs so the shivering girl worked on her little sleeping bag. It was clearly not equipped with a heating device, and a bit shabby besides. She clearly wasn't use to travel. Being completely human the girl would suffer greatly from the severe sub-zero temperature's this wintry forest would bring.

D glanced at his cozy tent then back to her sleeping bag. He blinked then stepped over to her, "Come with me."

"What?"

"Come with me."

She did so. The dhampire lead her to his tent and gestured in. Amelia glanced at it then at him, then bit her lip. "Ah, D, I don't know what you're thinking..."

Leftie chuckled but D kept him silent by tightening his fist again. "Go to sleep in the tent. I shall sleep under the stars."

She blushed. "You don't have to. I'll be fine."

"You're human. The low temperatures that come at night will make you less able to lead us to the laboratory." His fedora covered his eyes as he dipped his head. "In."

Smiling, Amelia gave him a quick peck on the cheek and quickly vanished within. Immediately afterwards the dhampire returned to the campfire to find Alucard seated at a log, nursing the flames with a stick. Caitlyn had not returned. Neither of the brothers spoke, remaining that way for a few hours before both of them wordlessly went to their bedrolls.

"What next, D? Baking muffins for orphans?"

Thankfully rest of the night passed without incident or comment.


End file.
